roche moutonnée
[ rohsh moot-n-ey; French rawsh moo-taw-ney ]
/ ˈroʊʃ ˌmut nˈeɪ; French rɔʃ mu tɔˈneɪ /
noun Geology.
a rounded, glacially eroded rock outcrop, usually one of a group, resembling a sheep's back.
Also called
sheepback rock.
Origin of roche moutonnée
1835–45; < French: glaciated rock, literally, fleecy rock
Words nearby roche moutonnée
rochalimaea,
rochambeau,
rochdale,
roche alum,
roche limit,
roche moutonnée,
rochelle,
rochelle powder,
rochelle powders,
rochelle salt,
rochester
British Dictionary definitions for roche moutonnee
roche moutonnée
/ (ˈrəʊʃ ˌmuːtəˈneɪ) /
noun plural roches moutonnées (ˈrəʊʃ ˌmuːtəˈneɪz)
a rounded mass of rock smoothed and striated by ice that has flowed over it
Word Origin for roche moutonnée
C19: French, literally: fleecy rock, from
mouton sheep
Scientific definitions for roche moutonnee
roche moutonnée
[ rôsh′ mōōt′n-ā′, mōō′tô-nā′ ]
An elongate mound of bedrock worn smooth and rounded by glacial abrasion. A roche moutonnée has a long axis parallel to the direction of glacial movement, a gently sloping, striated side facing the direction from which the glacier originated, and a steeper side facing the direction of glacial movement. The height, length, and width of roche moutonnées are on the order of a few meters (tens of feet).